Case Number 22481

SPICE AND WOLF: SEASON TWO

The Charge

Opening Statement

It took a couple of years, but thanks to our friends at Funimation, Season
Two of the mercantile-based anime Spice and Wolf has finally made it to
our shores.

Facts of the Case

The first episode of Spice and Wolf: Season Two isn't really an
episode at all; it's more of a refresher for those who either didn't see or
don't remember season one. It's even labeled "Episode 00," and is all
about reestablishing the main characters: Lawrence (J. Michael Tatum,
Fullmetal Alchemist), the traveling merchant, and Holo (Brina Palencia,
Romeo X Juliet), the ancient wolf in human form.

Beyond that, Season Two is separated into two distinct halves. Gone are the
days when the pair was on the road about as often as they were in a town;
instead, the two discs are split evenly between two cities. In the first half,
Lawrence and Holo travel north to the city of Kumersan, where a festival
promises money-making opportunities, and a brash young merchant prince makes a
bid for Holo's hand in marriage. The second half leads to Renos, a fur-trading
town in upheaval over trading rights, where our duo runs into a trader with a
dark history and a plan for a haul so big it could lead to Lawrence's dream:
owning a store of his own.

The Evidence

If you watched the first season of Spice and Wolf, you already know
this series is a rarity among anime titles. Sure, some minor anime conventions
are present -- a medieval setting, featuring an attractive, large-eyed woman
with the ears and tail of a wolf (which more closely resemble the ears and tail
of a fox -- but there's no animated kung-fu action, no robots, and no mention of
anyone's inner chi nor using it to shoot energy beams. Instead, Spice
and Wolf is filled with philosophical discussions, trade maneuvering, and
many lessons in the art of finance, including a rudimentary overview of how a
typical stock market works.

Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it?

Actually, it's much more engaging that any description can properly
describe. The key to Spice and Wolf's success is in the chemistry between
the implacable Lawrence and the equally hot-tempered Holo; these opposites don't
attract so much as they meld. Lawrence sighs a lot when Holo is at her most
impetuous, and Holo becomes likewise exasperated by Lawrence's occasional
mulishness, but each is only truly complete when they're together.

Which is a bit of a problem, because Season Two goes through long stretches
without Holo's presence. Where Season One did a great job of building both
characters, these episodes are mostly concerned with Lawrence's growth. In the
first half, he learns the value of true friendship, a commodity he never gave a
passing thought to before he met Holo. In the second half, he grows to realize
the ultimate futility in living for the sole purpose of making money. In both
situations, Holo is placed in situations where she is forced out of the direct
storyline, and the show's energy suffers for it. Lawrence's character arc is
well conceived and organic, and the conniving double-dealing schemes are
interesting, but the show really shines only when Holo's fire is present to
offset Lawrence's cold calculation. The irony of the episode titles is that all
of them start with "Wolf and..." -- even the ones that don't really
deal with Holo.

There are other minor quibbles to be had here as well. Early on, Holo has
nightmares about her home in the north, but they disappear without a mention.
And since the show is about "Spice and Wolf," other carefully built
characters are dropped as soon as their roles are done. For instance, according
to Holo, alchemist Dianna Rubens is really a huge bird in human form, but we
never find out what her story is nor get to see the bird. If there's no
narrative reason for such an oddity, why include it at all?

But those issues are fairly inconsequential. I would rather Spice and
Wolf focus too much on the story of Lawrence and Holo than becoming diffuse
among a gaggle of secondary characters. Besides, maybe they'll show up again in
Season Three. This collection loses some of the steam the first season built,
but it's never in danger of stopping. The storylines are still too compelling
for that.

The 1.78:1 standard definition image retains the clarity and deep color
palate of Season One, with good black levels and some really nice background
detail. For those who prefer the English dub, the Dolby 5.1 audio is fairly
strong, with moderate ambient noise from the surrounds and very little in the
way of bass response. The original 2.0 stereo Japanese language track isn't
quite as robust.

In terms of bous features, there's a touch more than Funimation usually
provides, with clean open/close title sequences, and two featurettes featuring a
Japanese-only-speaking Holo giving lessons. The first features some of the food
and drinks found in the show, while the second is a series of stretching
exercises. The latter lesson is useful, if you want to learn how to count to
five in Japanese, since she does so repeatedly throughout.

It should also be noted that Spice and Wolf: Season Two is available
as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, but only the standard DVD's were available for
review.

Closing Statement

Spice and Wolf: Season Two is strangely compelling, despite (or
perhaps because of) the lack of traditional anime conventions. It exhibits good
storytelling, great character development (for one of its leads), and it doesn't
lose the mystical chemistry between Holo and Lawrence even through Holo's
absences. This a show that won't talk down to you and you'll be rewarded for
your time.